Miniature rose plant named `POULfio`

ABSTRACT

A new miniature pot rose plant which has abundant, durable, salmon pink-colored flowers and attractive foliage. The variety successfully propagates from softwood cuttings and is suitable for year round production in commercial glasshouses. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present discovery constitutes a new and distinct variety of aminiature pot rose plant which was discovered in a cultivated area. Themutation resulted from `POULlak`, a miniature pot rose hybridized by thesame inventors. `POULlak` is described and illustrated in U.S. PlantPat. No. 10,934. The new rose variety resulted from a naturallyoccurring mutation of unknown causation on a branch of `POULlak` whichwas discovered in a controlled planting.

The rose plant of the present discovery has a unique combination ofcharacteristics which are outstanding in the new variety and whichdistinguish it from the original rose `POULlak` as well as all othervarieties which we are aware of. For example, the new variety has:

1. Abundant salmon pink-colored flowers;

2. Vigorous and compact growth;

3. Year-round flowering under glasshouse conditions;

4. Suitability for production from softwood cuttings in pots;

5. Durable flowers and foliage which make the variety suitable fordistribution in the floral industry.

This combination of qualities was not present in previously availablecommercial cultivars of this type and distinguish `POULfio` from allother varieties of which we are aware.

Asexual reproduction of `POULfio` by cuttings was first done by L.Pernille and Mogens N. Olesen in their nursery in Fredensborg, Denmarkin March, 1996. This initial and other subsequent propagations conductedin controlled environments have demonstrated that the characteristics of`POULfio` are true to type and are transmitted from one generation tothe next.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustration shows as true as is reasonablypossible to obtain in color photographs of this type, the typicalcharacteristics of the buds, flowers, leaves, stems, and a plant of`POULfio`. Specifically illustrated in SHEET 1:

1. Stem or entire plant showing branching and the attachment of leaves,buds and peduncles;

2. Flower bud, partially opened bud, and open bloom;

3. Flower petals, detached;

4. Sepals, receptacle, and pedicel;

5. Flowering stem as well as a bare stem exhibiting thorns;

6. Leaves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of `POULfio`, as observed in itsgrowth in glasshouses in Fredensborg, Denmark and Half Moon Bay, Calif.and in field nursery in Jackson County, Ore. Color references are madeusing The Royal Horticultural Society (London, England) Colour Chart,1995, except where common terms of color are used.

For a comparison, the nearest existing rose variety is `POULlak`, aminiature rose variety described and illustrated in U.S. Plant Pat. No.10,934, granted Jun. 1, 1999. Chart 1 details several physicalcharacteristics of POULfio and POULlak.

                  CHART 1                                                         ______________________________________                                                   `POULfio`   `POULlak`                                              ______________________________________                                        Bud color at Red Group 52B Red Group 39D                                      1/4 open                                                                      Color of     Red Group 52C Red Group 49B                                      upper surface                                                                 of flower                                                                     petal on an                                                                   open flower                                                                   Color of     Red Group 52C Red Group 38C                                      reverse                                                                       surface of                                                                    flower petal                                                                  on an open                                                                    flower                                                                        ______________________________________                                    

Parentage: Mutation of `POULlak`.

Classification:

Botanical.--Rosa hybrida.

Commercial.--Miniature.

FLOWER AND FLOWER BUD

Blooming habit: Continuous.

Flower bud:

Size.--Upon opening, 12 mm-16 mm in length.

Bud form.--Pointed to pointed ovoid.

Bud color.--Red Group 52B at 1/4 opening.

Sepals.--Green Group 137A to 137B. Weak foliaceous appendages on threeof the five sepals. Surfaces of sepals moderately pubescent. Limitednumbers of stipitate glands present on sepals with appendages.

Peduncle.--Surface: Smooth. Length: 25-45 mm average length. Color:Green Group 137C. Strength: Erect.

Receptacle.--Surface: Smooth. Shape: Funnel-shaped. Size: Small. 4 mm×4mm. Color: Green Group 137C.

Borne.--Generally 1-3 buds per flowering stem.

Flower bloom:

Size.--Small for a 10 cm pot rose. Average diameter is 35 mm when open.

Form.--Upon opening, form of upper part of flower is flat. Completelyopen, form of upper part of flower is a flattened convex. Completelyopen, form of lower half of flower is flat.

Petalage.--Double. Average range: 40-45 under normal conditions.

Color.--Upon opening, the upper surface of the petals is Red Group 52B.Upon opening, the reverse side is Red Group 52B. After opening, theupper surface of the petal is Red Group 52C. After opening, the reversesurface of the petal is Red Group 52C. Upon opening, a petal spotGreen-Yellow Group 1C exists on the inner and outer bases of the petals.After opening, the petal spot is Green-Yellow Group 1D on the inner andouter bases of the petals.

Discoloration.--No change in the general tonality after three days.Thereafter, general tonality changes slightly to Red Group 41D.

Petal reflex.--Most petals reflex backwards slightly.

Petaloids.--Present. 4-6 per bloom.

Fragrance.--Light.

Duration.--As a pot plant, flowers last from 16 to 18 days. As a cutflower, 8 to 10 days.

Petals:

Texture.--Thin.

Shape.--Oval. Many of the petal margins terminate with a point in thecenter.

Form.--Reflexed slightly.

Arrangement.--Normal.

Reproductive organs:

Pollen.--Color: Yellow-Orange Group 20A. Abundance: Limited.

Anthers.--Size: Medium. Color: Green-White Group 157A. Abundance:Limited.

Filaments.--Color: Yellow-Green Group 150D.

Stigmas.--Position is slightly superior to anthers. Color: Green-WhiteGroup 157B.

Styles.--Color: Green-White Group 157B.

PLANT

Plant growth: Vigorous and compact. Upright to bushy. When grown as a 10cm pot plant, the average height of the plant itself is 18-20 cm and theaverage width is 18-20 cm. When grown as a nursery plant on its ownroots the average plant height is 25-30 cm and the average plant widthis 18-22 cm.

Stems:

Color.--Young wood: Green Group 138B. Older wood: Green Group 138B.

Thorns.--Incidence: Average number of thorns. Size: Average length: 2mm-4 mm. Color: Most thorns Orange-White Group 159A, some withintonation of Red Group 37D. Shape: Linear.

Bark.--Young wood: Smooth. Older wood: Smooth.

Plant foliage: Normal number of leaflets on normal leaves in middle ofthe stem: 5 leaflets.

Leaf size.--Small. 60 mm×35 mm.

Abundance.--Above average.

Color.--Upper Leaf Surface: Yellow-Green Group 147A. Lower Leaf Surface:Green Group 138B. Juvenile foliage: Green Group 143C to Yellow-GreenGroup 144A. Anthocyanin intonation: Present on the lower surfaces ofleaflets, the upper sides of the rachis, the leaflet margins, and themargins of sepals.

Plant leaves and leaflets;

Stipules.--Present. Hairs present on margins. Size: To 8 mm in length.Color: Yellow-Green Group 147A.

Petiole.--Margins with stipitate glands. Length: 12-15 mm. Underneath:With hairs and prickles. Color: Yellow-Green Group 147A.

Rachis.--With prickles underneath. Margins with stipitate glands. Color:Yellow-Green Group 147A. Upper surface with intonation of Greyed-RedGroup 178C.

Leaflet edge.--Finely serrated.

Shape.--Leaflets are ovate.

Leaflets.--Number: Generally 5.

Other.--Matte finish. Thin texture.

Disease resistance: Above-average resistance to mildew and Botrytisunder normal growing conditions in Half Moon Bay, Calif. andFredensborg, Denmark.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of rose plant of the miniatureclass, substantially as herein illustrated and described as a distinctand novel rose variety due to its abundant salmon pink-colored flowers,compact and vigorous growth, year round flowering under glasshouseconditions, suitability for production from softwood cuttings in pots,and durable flowers and foliage which make the variety suitable fordistribution in